Igrania
Igrania is a Seelie Sidhe Wilder of House Gwydion in the Kingdom of Willows. Overview Igrania remembers a white palace, long expanses of green lawn, graceful trees in the cool breeze, and beautiful peacocks strolling in the evening light. It isn't Arcadia she recalls, but the antebellum mansion called River Landing in Natchez, Mississippi. She must be content with her memories of it because she has not lived in her main freehold for several years. Instead, she resides within Magnolia's Home, a small freehold in the Near Dreaming reached by entering a gateway in a magnificent old magnolia tree in Biloxi. Knowing the danger of remaining too long in the Dreaming, she also keeps a small apartment on the outskirts of the city. Unfortunately, she has misjudged how strong an effect the Dreaming is having on her and she is beginning to forget her mortal life prior to her Chrysalis. She remembers that she was once Wilma Nadine Parm and vaguely recalls living in Natchez and always loving the lovely white mansion of River Landing. Igrania believes she had a normal childhood, but cannot recall any details about it. The first real memories she can recall are of awakening from a dream, realizing she was a changeling, and knowing that River Landing was a major freehold. She walked to the old mansion; run down and sadly in need of repairs, and placed her hand on the front door. It opened at her touch. No one lived there, but when she entered, she felt the freehold respond to her. She claimed it as her own and took the title of Duchess of River Landing. A few other Kithain made themselves known to her and acknowledged her as their new ruler, but for the most part, Igrania was left alone. No one really visited. Her "subjects" are mostly home-grown commoners who feel uncomfortable in courtly surroundings. After only a short time in the house, she grew bored and lonely. Wanting to see the rest of her "Duchy" she journeyed to Biloxi. Delighted with the city, she explored it and discovered a small glen that held a magnolia tree. Entering the magnolia, she found herself in the Near Dreaming. Using Arts she had not remembered having until that moment, she established a homestead that she called Magnolia's Home. She was pleased with her new home as she seemed to recall more about her former life while within it. She decided she was more the Duchess of Magnolia's Home than of River Landing. Eventually she emerged since she didn't want to enter Bedlam. Waiting outside the tree was Duke Firedrake. The duke had been making a tour of "his" duchy when he noticed that someone had entered the glen and claimed the gateway. Because of Igrania's claim, he couldn't simply open the tree and walk in, so he waited to see who would come out. He was charmed by her beauty and became even more intrigued when she disputed his claim to the area. Determined not to loose her status (as she had already lost many of her memories), Igrania stood up to Firedrake, refusing to let him bully her. She claimed the region covered by Mississippi as her own duchy. He disagreed, pointing out the Meilge had granted it to him as part of the Duchy of Cotton. She retorted, "The Meilge was wrong to do so, for I hold equal title to you and have established my claim here. Further, I am of the ruling House Gwydion and you are not, sir." She made it clear the she was willing to fight him should he press his claim. There followed several months of back-biting, appeals to the king, sabotage of one another's resources, and attempts to secretly take over small sites that might serve as advance forts in each other's territory. Then the rounds of "peace talks" began. Sometime in the middle of the altercation, Igrania joined the Cat's Cradle and gained some powerful allies. Firedrake and Igrania eventually agreed to a truce. At Meilge's behest, Firedrake proposed marriage, but Igrania refused, not wanting to become his "pet wife." She made a counter proposal: she would marry Firedrake but only if he relinquished claim to the Duchy of Cotten and made her duchess of the whole realm. He refused. Igrania has traveled to Meilge's court several times to petition the king to acknowledge her claim. Each time he has refused, saying she and Firedrake must settle their differences before he can make any decision. Unknown to Igrania, Meilge has no intention of giving her a duchy; he owes Duke Firedrake too much. Meilge also does not like Igrania because he knows he cannot control her. He would like her even less if he knew she had recruited Faerilyth into the Cat's Cradle. She knows she should return to River Landing, her main freehold, but she remains in Biloxi. Though convinced the duke doesn't really care for her, she prefers to remain close to his freehold in Mobile... to keep an eye on him, so she claims. She has been so concerned with holding onto her region that she has done little to actually rule it thus far. She hopes to remedy that soon, for she keenly feels she has not been a very good ruler to the Kithain of the Duchy of Magnolia's Home. She is especially concerned by reports she's been receiving lately of a new changeling religious group operating near Biloxi. Igrania's Arts reflect the abilities she brought with her from the Dreaming. She knows much of Dream-Craft, Soothsay, and Sovereign and is conversant with Wayfare. Naturally graceful, she dances well and practices Tai Chi (though she cannot remember learning either one). She also recalls complex combat maneuvers without knowing why. Image Igrania's regal posture belies the fact that she barely tops five feet. She is a tiny bit too muscular to be called slender. Wiry and flexible, she wears jeans and T-shirts with as much grace and comportment as a court gown in her house colors. Her hair is dark brown with a hint of red highlights, and her eyes are a light hazel that looks amber in certain lights. She has a beauty mark just beneath the outer edge of her right eye. Personal Igrania masks her confusion with a bold, forthright manner. Although she cannot remember much, she knows she is a duchess and deserves her own duchy; that she will never back down on. Unfortunately, she is all too aware that she should be doing more to rule her duchy and fighting less with Firedrake over his claim to it. If she could only recall more she could get the upper hand, but she isn't certain where to start looking for clues to what she cannot remember. Despite her pretensions that Firedrake disgusts her (he is obviously Unseelie, after all), she treasures her meetings with him. Perhaps she should cease hostilities and invite him to River Landing. Then she could insist that he remains her guest until she can convince him to forfeit his claims to her lands. Of course, it isn't just his lands she's interested in... References # CTD. Kingdom of Willows, pp. 107-108. Category:Seelie (CTD) Category:Sidhe (CTD) Category:Wilders (CTD) Category:House Gwydion (CTD)